| George Washington And the New Nation: 1783-1793
(1970)
|
| Front Cover |
Book Details |
|
| Genre |
Biography; Non-Fiction |
| Subject |
Presidents - United States - Biography; Washington, George, 1732-1799 |
| Publication Date |
1970 |
| Format |
Hardcover (9.5
x
6.5
mm)
|
| Publisher |
Little, Brown |
| Extras |
Dust Jacket; Dust Jacket Cover |
|
| Personal Details |
| Store |
Powell's City of Books |
| Purchase Price |
$9.95 |
| Acquire Date |
5/1/2020 |
| Condition |
Very Good/Very Good |
| Rating |
0 |
| Links |
Library of Congress
|
|
| Product Details |
| LoC Classification |
E312.29 .F55 |
| Dewey |
973.4/1/0924 |
| Edition |
[1st ed.] |
| Series |
His George Washington |
| Volume |
3 |
| Cover Price |
$15.00 |
| No. of Pages |
466 |
| First Edition |
No |
| Rare |
No |
|
| Notes/Review |
Volume three of Flexner's Washington biography covers the period from the end of the war to the end of his first term as president. It is every bit as engaging and informative as the first two volumes.
We learn about Washington's struggles to get home to Mount Vernon, where he really wanted to retire from public service. But he kept getting pulled back in, and ultimately was unable to remain a farmer. We also get a nice rundown of the clashes among Washington, Hamilton, and Jefferson (among others).
I won't recap the book but will point out that Flexner makes the case that, perhaps, the men who gathered to write a new constitution acted without that authority and the whole enterprise may have been illegal.
I also found some quotes near the end quite interesting given recent events.
Washington was afraid of demagogues who, because of "prejudice and evil designs" would mislead public opinion, corrupting republican government at its very source. "There are not wanting wicked and designing men whose element is confusion and who will not hesitate in destroying the public tranquility to gain a favorite point."
Flexner points out: "Almost universally, the combination of a charismatic personality with the need to discourage dissent has resulted in a dictatorship, whether monarchical, communist, or fascist." Sound like any recent public figures in the USA? |
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